Police: Customer joined employee at Lucky's in South Baltimore to stop armed robbery

An armed robbery of Lucky's Deli and Market in South Baltimore was thwarted Friday morning after a customer joined a store employee in subduing the suspect until officers arrived, Baltimore police said.

Officers responded about 9:40 a.m. to the market, in the 400 block of E. Fort Ave. in the city's Riverside neighborhood, to find Johnnie Truffer, 23, being detained by the employee and the customer, police said.

Police said they believe Truffer, of the nearby first block of E. Fort Ave., entered the store and attempted to steal items when the employee confronted him. Truffer allegedly assaulted the employee before announcing a robbery and attempting to steal additional items, police said.

At that point, the employee and the customer joined forces to subdue him, police said. A knife was recovered from Truffer, police said.

Truffer had not been charged as of Friday afternoon.

Police said detectives are investigating whether Truffer might be responsible for other robberies in the area.